A trio of Siloam Springs athletes signed letters of intent to play sports at the next level Monday afternoon.
Two of them went for basketball as Mimo Jacklik signed with North Arkansas College and Brooke Smith inked with Ouachita Baptist University, while four-sport athlete Cailee Johnson inked with University of Arkansas-Fort Smith's cheerleading program.
"They've put it in their time and they do a good job, especially on the floor, representing what Siloam Springs is," said Siloam Springs girls basketball coach Beau Tillery, who coached all three this year in girls basketball. "We hope they do so at Harrison, Arkadelphia and Fort Smith."
Jacklik and Smith were both Class 5A all-state selections who helped lead Siloam Springs to a 20-10 overall record, 12-2 mark in 5A-West Conference play and into the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament, where they lost 49-48 to Vilonia.
Both were three-year starters for the Lady Panthers and won more than 50 games in their high school careers.
"You can sum that up by watching their last game," Tillery said. "They absolutely emptied the tank against Vilonia, were just super locked in. I thought we were playing our best basketball late, fell one point short. Those two were a big piece, especially from a leadership standpoint. Those were the two girls that vocally get it done everyday."
Jacklik averaged around 12.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and led the team in 3-pointers.
She wasn't sure she was going to play in college but went for a visit to the Harrison school and was excited to sign. NorthArk went 16-10 last season.
When asked what made her want to sign at NorthArk, Jacklik said, "I'd say watching them play. You can tell some of them it was their first year, but they play like they've played since they were babies. That just clicked for me, and their team chemistry is really good. Coach Bobby Howard is a good coach."
Smith said she signed with Ouachita Baptist back in November but wanted to sign with her teammates.
Smith was a super versatile player for Siloam Springs, able to play all five positions on the floor.
She averaged 7.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists, and came up with a huge block shot and rebound against Paragould in the state tournament to help Siloam Springs win its first state tournament game since 2016. Ouachita Baptist went 15-13 in 2022-23.
"I'm really excited," Smith said. "I signed back in November, but the social aspect out here with my teammates (was important). The biggest part is those other two are here with me and we're doing it all together as one."
Johnson played volleyball, basketball and soccer along with joining the competitive cheer squad for the last two years.
She was a three-year starter in basketball and soccer and regular contributor in basketball until halfway through her senior season when she was sidelined with a broken leg.
"It would have been interesting to see how things played out down the stretch with a really athletic guard that can defend and do some things," Tillery said.
Signing to cheer at UAFS isn't what Johnson originally thought she'd do. She said she had thought she would sign to play soccer, but she's fallen in love with cheerleading she said.
"I mean if you would have told me I was signing for cheer my freshman year, I would have thought you were insane," Johnson said. "I've only been in cheer for two years. Ever since junior year when I started, I just loved it. Recently, I originally thought i would go to school for soccer, but recently I've just enjoyed doing cheer and I got the opportunity."
Siloam Springs cheer coach Jackie Clement said the cheer team was thrilled to add Johnson during the summer of junior year.
Johnson is a Level 8 gymnast and that helped her quickly in cheer, Clement said.
"She had most of the skills we already needed in terms of body control," Clement said. "With her being a four-sport athlete she knew how to use her body. She was very strong and we could put her in any place we needed her. She was a flyer. She was a base. She was a tumbler. She was a back spot. She could do anything we needed her to do."
Johnson helped the Siloam Springs cheer team won the state championship and national championship her senior year.
"Obviously we had a very successful year this year and we wouldn't have been able to be this successful without her," Clement said. "She has fallen in love with cheer. We are just so glad she joined our team and took a chance on us."
Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Siloam Springs senior Cailee Johnson (middle) signed a letter of intent for cheerleading at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith on Monday. Also pictured are mother, Janice Johnson (left), sister Cenzie Johnson (right) and father Jonathan Johnson (standing).
Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Siloam Springs senior Mimo Jacklik (middle), signed a letter of intent to play college basketball at North Arkansas College in Harrison. Also pictured are mother, Valerie Jacklik, left, and father, Nichlos Jacklik.